Bannerlord Throwing Ranged Build¶

For a full list of Throwing perks, see here.

To create a build based solely on throwing weapons is difficult to justify. This is because all types of throwing weapons provide you with so few stacks of each. By default, the maximum number of throwing axes per weapon slot is 3. The same for throwing knives and daggers, while javelins provide stacks of 5. At the same time, it is difficult to think of a scenario in which you would need throwing weapons if your main build is Archer or Crossbow, since you already have accurate ranged weapons and would most likely need a secondary melee weapon as opposed to a throwing one. Instead, the main use for throwing weapons can be found by those who choose one-handed, two-handed, or polearm as their main build type. If you’re usually in the thick of battle and prefer to stay there, you will want to maximise the effectiveness of your melee weapons by investing in the corresponding perk tree. However, putting a few points into throwing weapons will increase your adaptability in battles by enabling you to take out otherwise inaccessible ranged units on castle walls, or kill a few powerful melee units before they reach you.

If you want to begin your game with a reasonable level of skill in throwing weapons, you will benefit from selecting the following background skills during character creation (for a full breakdown of background skills, see Defining Background Skills):

• Family - Mercenaries: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Roguery and Crossbow. 1 Attribute Point to Control.

• Early Childhood - Your brawn: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Two-Handed weapons and Throwing. 1 Attribute Point to Vigor.

• Adolescence - At the town watch’s training ground: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Crossbow and Tactics. 1 Attribute Point to Control.

• Youth - Joined the skirmishers: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Throwing and Bow. 1 Attribute Point to Control.

• Young Adulthood - You survived a siege: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Bow and Crossbow. 1 Attribute Point to Control. +5 Renown.

• Story Background - You drove them off with arrows: +10 Skill Level and 1 Focus Point to Bow and Tactics. 1 Attribute Point to Control.

Selecting these background skills will provide you with the highest skill in throwing and its associated attributes, skills, and perks at the beginning of the game. You can then gradually improve your skill in throwing by investing attribute points in Control and skill points in throwing combat. This will increase the learning rate of of that particular skill, allowing you to level it faster as you use throwing weapons in battle scenarios. The more frequently throwing weapons are used, the faster your skill level with them will increase. This applies even to the amount of times that you execute a successful throw. The most experience is earned upon successful hits, especially if you are able to kill one or more enemies with one hit, but you can also earn experience by using throwing weapons in general during a lull in fighting.

The Throwing perk tree generally increases accuracy, speed, and damage with throwing weapons. For example, at level 25 you can select the perk Steady Hand, which increases accuracy by 15%. At level 50 Skull Crusher becomes availalbe, granting +50% damage to headshots with throwing weapons. The next increase comes with Master Thrower at level 175, which increases weapon flight speed by 10% and provides +30% damage with throwing weapons. Level 200 provides Perfect Accuracy, which essentially eliminates the need to alter the gauge of your aim for all but the most distant enemies. This is further improved at level 275 with Running Throw, allowing you to throw weapons while moving with the same accuracy as if you were standing still.

In addition to base improvements to speed, accuracy and damage, the throwing perk tree also enables you to increase the size of your party by 5 at level 100 with the perk Skirmishers. At level 250 you can reduce the aim penalty for throwing weapons when on horseback with Mounted Thrower. You can also increase the capacity of your throwing weapons by a total of 3, with Fully Armed at level 75 (+1 to throwing weapon stacks), and Battle Ready at level 150 (+2 to throwing weapon stacks). Level 225 allows you to increase the number of throwing weapons that your allied troops can carry by 1, with the perk Well Prepared.

In terms of equipment for a throwing weapon build, while you can technically equip 4 sets of throwing weapons, 1 for each slot, and then pick up a random melee weapon when the stacks are depleted, it is recommended that you have at least one dedicated melee weapon at all times. This ensures that you remain consistent in your melee abilities, and don’t have to rely on finding a decent weapon from a fallen friend or foe. Once you have that, you can use the other 3 weapon slots for throwing knives, daggers, axes or javelins. As you gain more perks to increase the maximum stack capacity of throwing weapons, you can eventually have 24 javelins at the beginning of a battle, across 3 weapon slots. Alternatively you could diversify a bit by having 8 javelins alongside 10 knives, daggers, or axes. This would provide you with a number of different weapon types for differing situations. Overall javelins do the most damage, while daggers and knives are faster. Axes, daggers, and knives have limited range compared with javelins, making them more suited to close quarters combat.

Although most of the best weapons can be crafted in smithing, there are some that can be acquired from large settlement markets, or from lords and other powerful opponents on the battlefield. In terms of throwing weapons, you should look out for:

• Highland Throwing Axe

• Imperial Broad Bladed Throwing Knives

• Jareed Javelines

There are currently a limited number of throwing weapons for each type. The above comprise the best of each type, although there are few differences between the worst and the best at this point. The weapons are easy to find in the early game, but the javelins will be difficult to justify the expense for until you have a steady income. Axes, daggers, and knives are much cheaper. In addition, each of these weapons can be found on the battlefield, especially after fighting a lord with many soldiers. It is therefore recommended that you join a faction and participate in a large battle with an ally lord against an enemy lord as soon as possible. This will allow you to earn a lot of money in a short amount of time, while also providing you with an opportunity to loot some of the best items with little effort.